The Ministry of Science and Technology has announced findings from research on how temperature shocks can help control the behaviour of tightly packed materials. Scientists from the Raman Research Institute, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, have discovered a method to temporarily convert jammed systems into flowing liquids. The breakthrough could improve drug delivery systems and other applications involving structured materials.
What the research found
Researchers used microgel particles—soft materials capable of absorbing 300 to 500 times their weight in water—to study how temperature changes affect tightly packed systems. When these particles are compressed together, they behave like glass: solid on the outside but with a disordered internal structure that retains memory of previous states.
The team discovered that when they applied rapid temperature shocks while heating the suspension to 20 degrees Celsius, the particles rearranged themselves. This thermal shock temporarily sent the jammed system into a liquid state and erased the memory patterns within it. Importantly, the researchers found asymmetries in how the system behaved during heating versus cooling, and they demonstrated they could control these asymmetries through temperature manipulation.
The findings show that the path a system takes to reach its final temperature matters. By applying sudden temperature increases, scientists can now influence how the material reorganises itself and eliminate the different pathways it would otherwise follow.
What this means for you
This research has direct implications for medical treatment. Microgel particles are already used in targeted drug delivery, where medicines are loaded into cool particles that remain swollen. When body temperature rises above 34 degrees Celsius, these particles collapse and release the drug precisely at the target site, such as a tumour. Better control over how these materials respond to temperature could make such treatments more effective and reduce unwanted side effects. The findings may also lead to improvements in other applications where controlling material structure is important.